14) Cornelius Fudge Faces the Truth
As he was leading the way to his office, Fudge wondered who this strange boy could possibly be for Dumbledore to be showing him such deference, treating him as an equal. Did he also go to Hogwart's? Why hadn't Dumbledore sent him away with Harry? He certainly couldn't have been much older than Harry Potter. What was the strange elven critter that accompanied them?
Minister Fudge took his place behind his desk, as Dumbledore conjured three chairs for himself, Jadin, and Impmon.
"You certainly made an ass of me back there, didn't you? I suppose you finally get your wish, and will be demanding I resign?"
"No, Cornelius. I supported your bid for Minister, not because I thought you would make an outstanding leader: I supported you because I believed you to be a good man. I was perfectly willing to help you carry out the responsibilities of your office while asking for none of the credit. You made that mistake which all too many politicians make: you came to believe your own self-serving propaganda. I have not been plotting against you; I have no desire to see you removed from office. While there is a good chance that you could be removed, I will have nothing to do with it, and it is not I who will replace you. Cornelius: I never wanted your office. Hogwart's and my students are now and have always been my highest priority.
"The return of Lord Voldemort to life and full power makes political infighting rather unimportant and inconsequential, wouldn't you agree? It would not be good to see the Minister fold under the pressure. People out there are going to be frightened, and will be looking to you for leadership. As I said when you first took office, I will do everything in my power to assist you in any way I can... if you'll let me".
"What is it that you want, then?", Fudge asked.
"It is not all that much, and demands little on your part. First: you will reinstate me as headmaster of Hogwart's. You will abolish the Office of High Inquisitor and order Dolores Umbridge to leave Hogwart's. All of Umbridge's decrees are to be rescinded. Furthermore, you will be receiving expulsion orders for Mr. Malfoy and his Inquisitorial Squad: you will sign them. I won't be demanding that the Wizengamot hold investigative hearings on Umbridge's exceeding her authority by imposing excessively harsh punishments on the students, as we don't have the luxury of wasting any more time on peripheral issues".
"I see, and this will satisfy you?", Fudge asked suspiciously.
"I already told you: I have no political ambitions beyond Hogwart's and opposing Voldemort".
"Just who are these..."
Before he could get an answer, the auror in the scarlet robe they knew as Williamson interrupted:
"Excuse the intrusion, Minister, but I have to report that it's as Professor Dumbledore said: Death Eaters in the Death Chamber, bound and trapped. They're on their way to Azkaban as we speak".
"Understood", Fudge replied. He expected Williamson to leave, but he didn't.
"There's one more thing... down in the Death Chamber... the veil between the world of the living and dead is... gone. It's just... vanished. Without a trace..."
"Sorry 'bout that", Impmon replied.
"What do you mean?", Cornelius demanded. Williamson, his report completed, turned to leave as he was needed elsewhere. "It dates back to the time of Merlin, if not before".
"I took back something that didn't belong to you. It was a Digital World artifact, and a very dangerous one at that. I can't allow you to play with such things. Look at what happened to poor Sirius".
"As for my associates, this is Impmon. As I understand it, he is a 'digimon' who's visiting from his world: the Digital World. It would seem that the Department of Mysteries acquired a relic from that world somehow", Dumbledore explained. "This is Impmon's partner: Jadin - a muggle".
"You dared to bring a muggle to the Ministry of Magic itself? Dumbledore!"
"They saved Mr. Potter's life at least twice, and mine once. Show him", Dumbledore requested.
Jadin took out his digivice and the blue card: "As soon as we arrived downstairs, I digivolved Impmon to his Ultimate form: Cyberdramon. It was while in that form that he defeated three Death Eaters. Unfortunately, neither of us were able to save Sirius Black from that Gate of Destiny, but we were able to prevent Harry's following him through it to the same fate as Sirius".
First Fudge, then Dumbledore, examined the "featureless" blue card: they discovered it wasn't featureless: on the back was a holographic image. This being a yellow upper case 'D' with a dark blue, generic digimon head superimposed over the upper right hand quadrant of the 'D'. There was nothing else to indicate to whom this apparent logo belonged. It became visible only when the light caught it at just the right angle.
"The blue cards contain a routine originally coded by one of the originators of digimon: Goru "Shibumi" Mizuno. He always believed that digimon would one day appear here in the Material World, and that the 'Net would become much more than just a communications network. It was his intent to overcome those limitations. That's what the blue card does: activates 'Matrix Evolution' to take our partners beyond their Champion levels. None of this is any big secret among we Mentors. The rest of the 'Wild Bunch', as the original creators of digimon called themselves - were eccentric by even the standards of Open Source programmers - considered their colleague to be somewhat of a heretic. They didn't share his beliefs, and so he had to work this out on his own".
"So this really isn't magical..."
"No, it's technological. Only now it would seem that we can defeat some forms of magic. That's how we came to Professor Dumbledore's attention, and why we are here".
"What is it that you want, Impmon?", Fudge asked, "Why did you come here?"
"We digimon have always known about the Material World. We discovered how to cross the Frontier to appear in the Material World as physical beings. Once we arrived, however, we found we needed human partners to help us evolve since we are separated from the Digientelechia that drives our evolution. That's what the cards and digivices do: open a link to the Digital World and the Digientelechia. Only now, we've seen that there's more to the Material World than we first realized. Given the way your Wizarding World avoids anything technological, we had no way of knowing about it until we happened to discover these Dementors who were attacking Harry and his brother. We thought they were digimon, and later learned we were wrong about that".
"And what do you intend to do, now that you know about it?"
"Help the...", Impmon almost said the "Order of the Phoenix", "...Professor to prevent this Lord Voldemort from becoming a threat to the Digital World".
"How, exactly, did you save Potter and Dumbledore?"
"While still in my Ultimate form, I prevented Harry from following Sirius through that Gate of Destiny down stairs. I also prevented Voldemort from attacking Harry with a Killing Curse. I saved the Professor by taking a hit from that same Killing Curse in the lobby just before you and the others arrived..."
"You survived the Killing Curse?", Fudge asked, incredulous. "No one, other than Mr. Potter, has ever survived the Killing Curse".
"Oh yeah, but I lost too much data in the process, and had to return to my current Rookie form. Losing that much data that fast is rough. I still don't feel 100%, and I won't be able to digivolve until I regenerate".
"That was it: he sacrificed his Ultimate form, but he survived. So you see, Cornelius, they've more than earned their right to be here. That brings me to one final order of business...", Dumbledore tapped his wand against Fudge's desk, and two small parchment scrolls materialized. "Sign them: they are decrees making Impmon and Jadin honorary magi, and contain a charm that will allow them access to the Ministry, Hogwart's, Hogsmeade, or anywhere else they may want to visit."
"Honorary... magi?", Fudge asked.
"They are always welcome at Hogwart's, so long as I am headmaster", Dumbledore explained.
"And just what..."
"I could use a guest lecturer for our Muggle Studies class, and I'm sure Arthur Weasley could use an expert consultant as well", Dumbledore explained before Fudge could ask. "With Lord Voldemort back to full power, we will need all the help we can get. From Impmon and Jadin, and any other digimon who would care to join us".
"That... just... isn't done...", Fudge complained. However, he took out a quill, dipped it in the inkwell, and signed the decrees. By now, it was clear to him that Dumbledore had defeated him as completely as though he'd successfully deposed him. Fudge was beginning to understand that Dumbledore didn't want to depose him because he didn't need to. Dumbledore briefly inspected the signature, and handed each scroll to Impmon and his partner. "Be sure you keep these safe", he admonished.
"Thanks", Jadin said as he took the parchment.
"Yeah, thanks", Impmon added.
"Jadin was quite right about one thing: for far too long, we have let time pass us by. It's well past time for us to catch up. Speaking of time and catching up. I mustn't keep Mr. Potter waiting any longer. Good day, Cornelius".
"Aren't you forgetting about something?", Jadin asked.
"Oh?", Dumbledore replied.
"Buckbeak, they still have..."
"Yes, that's right: you will also rescind the order to have Sirius' hippogryph put down.
Thanks for reminding of that Mr. Jadin". Dumbledore stood, his business complete.
"So how're we going back? The phoenix express?", Jadin asked.
"No. I think we'll take a more conventional route this time", Dumbledore said, as he stepped to the fireplace in Cornelius' office.
The fireplace in Dumbledore's office suddenly erupted in green fire, giving Harry a start. The figures of Dumbledore, with Fawkes on his shoulder, followed by Impmon, then Jadin emerged.
At first, Dumbledore didn't look at Harry, as he returned the phoenix to his perch.
"Well, Harry", he said as he turned towards him, "you will be pleased to learn that none of your classmates will suffer any permanent injury or disability from this night's events".
Harry wanted to say "Good", but couldn't make himself say it. Was Dumbledore subtly reminding him of all the damage he'd done? Was this a little dig at him? He wondered, though Dumbledore was finally looking at him for the first time in months, he couldn't make his eyes meet Dumbledore's.
"Madam Pomfrey is patching everyone up as we speak. Tonks may have to be transferred to St. Mungo's for further treatment, but she should be just fine within a week or so". Harry could only nod at the carpet, which was growing lighter as the new dawn approached outside.
"I know how you're feeling", Dumbledore offered quietly.
"No you don't!", Harry snapped back at him. He turned away to look out the window. That didn't help, as he had a good view of the Quidditch stadium. Sirius had appeared there in the form of a shaggy black dog to see him play. Maybe he'd come to see if Harry was as good as James? Harry never thought to ask if he was as good as his father, and Sirius mentioned nothing about how Harry compared to James as a Quidditch player.
"There is no shame in feeling the way you do", Dumbledore continued explaining gently. "On the contrary, that you can feel pain like this is your greatest strength".
"My greatest strength is it?", Harry replied, barely able to get the words out past the rage inside. "You haven't a clue; you don't know..."
"What don't I know?"
Harry turned back to face Dumbledore: "I don't want to talk about how I feel, get it?"
"Harry, suffering like this proves you are still a man! It's part of being human..."
"THEN I DON'T WANT TO BE HUMAN!", he roared.
"I'm not human, and trust me, it doesn't make any difference", Impmon explained. "I liked him too, and I'll miss him..."
"SHUT UP! SHUT UP, YOU LITTLE PURPLE DIGI-FREAK!"
"Impmon, Jadin: I think it would be best if you'd leave us", Dumbledore said gently, not meaning to give offense.
They walked down to the lower level, past Fawkes, and stepped out of the office. As the door closed behind them, they heard what sounded like something breaking behind the door.
"What's with him?", Impmon asked.
"Sirius was the last of what Harry could call 'family'; it hit him pretty hard, seeing him go like that", Jadin explained.
"Professor McGonegall", Impmon and Jadin said at once, as she was arriving.
"We have some new vacancies in Gryffindor Tower, and perhaps you'd like to get some rest?", she invited.
"I still have a dorm in Ravenclaw Tower", Jadin reminded.
"Yeah, we could use some shut-eye", Impmon agreed.
"What happened?", Jadin asked.
McGonagall explained: "We lost some good students, including Fred and George Weasley, while Umbridge was head mistress. It's regrettable, and unfortunate".
"Will they be coming back, now that the Professor is back in charge?", Jadin asked.
"That's hard to say".
"There won't be any problems with our staying?"
"Not anymore. You won't have to misrepresent yourself, and Impmon won't have to hide. Not after the news of what you did for Harry, his friends, and the Professor gets out".
Madam Pomfrey's Infirmary
"Jadin! Impmon!", Neville called out, as they were arriving to visit with the others who'd been involved in the fight at the Department of Mysteries.
"Looks like your nose is as good as new, and much better than the last time we saw it", Jadin replied.
"Madam Pomfrey fixed it in a trice", he explained. Same for Ginny's broken ankle, as that was the extent of her injuries. She was curled up asleep at the foot of Hermione's bed. Hermione was regaling them with the latest news from the Daily Prophet:
Minister Fudge:
"It is with deep regret that I report this evening that the dark wizard styling himself Lord... well, you-know-who has returned, alive and has come into his former level of power. It is with the same regret that I must report that the Dementors have ceased their employ with the Ministry, and have abandoned their posts at Azkaban Prison. We believe that the Dementors are taking direction from Lord... Thingy. We urge the magical community to remain calm, but vigilant. The Ministry is working this very moment on the preparation of guidelines for home and personal defense that will be delivered to all wizarding homes as soon as we can make them available"
"The article goes on to say that Albus Dumbledore has been reinstated to his former positions as Chief Justice of the Wizengamot, membership in the International confederation of Wizards, and as headmaster of Hogwart's. They're pretty short on apologies, however".
"That's an understatement if ever I heard one", Ron added. "Get this", as he began to quote the article:
"Despite wide spread disbelief and outright ridicule, Harry Potter, The Boy Who Lived... so Harry's back to being The Boy Who Lived... had remained steadfast in his insistence that he personally witnessed the reincarnation of he-who-must-not-be-named...
"No mention that it was the Prophet that did most of that denial and fueled all that ridicule. No apologies, and that's rather cheeky of them, I'd say".
"So how're you doing?", Jadin asked, as he gave her a hug.
"It could have been a lot worse. If Dolohov had been able to say the incantation that goes with the curse he used, I wouldn't be having this conversation. It did enough damage, and I'm on a course of treatment that involves tightly scheduled administrations of ten different potions. That's why I can't leave just yet, but Madam Pomfrey says the prognosis is for full and complete recovery. It's just boring, having to stay here".
"I'm just glad you're still among the living and that you'll be getting better... Dolohov, you say? It should please you to know that he was one of the Death Eaters Cyberdramon took out..."
"Cyberdramon?", she asked.
"Oh, that's right: you were unconscious when we arrived with the Professor. Cyberdramon is Impmon's Ultimate digivolution. He also got that MacNair that came here to put down Buckbeak. They won't be bothering you ever again".
She looked away, not saying a word about this latest news. She was at once happy they were gone, yet regretful at the same time.
"So what was this business about a 'prophecy'?", Jadin prompted.
"It was a small glass ball that records a prophecy made by a Seer. The Department of Mysteries keeps an archive, or at least they did. After we were surrounded and attacked by Lucius Malfoy and his Death Eaters, we smashed a whole bunch - may be thousands - when we were escaping. It turned out that there was a prophecy made shortly before Harry's birth sixteen years ago, and it was recorded and archived. The only ones who can retrieve prophecies are those to whom they're addressed. If anyone else attempts to take one not belonging to them, they are instantly driven mad. That's what happened to everyone who tried to steal the prophecy, and why Youknowwho needed Harry to retrieve it: because everyone else had failed.
It broke, but no one could hear it, so we don't know what it was all about, but Youknowwho didn't get to hear it either, so it wasn't a complete loss. It turned out that Sybil Trelawney originally made this particular prophecy. We always thought she was a fraud, and wondered why she taught Divination for all these years, and that's the reason why. She wasn't a complete fraud, just not a very good Seer, that's all".
"I'm just a bit disappointed: all that fuss over a prophecy. I was expecting something more, well, spectacular, like some sort of super weapon or something"
"That's what we thought at first. You have to remember: the prophecy wasn't just addressed to Harry, but also to Youknowwho - either one could have retrieved it, as it concerned both. It may very well have foretold something that could have been used against him. or Harry. It wasn't a wasted effort, by any means".
"It might have also told something that could have been used against Whatshisname - too bad it got broke, then".
"If it did, you can be sure that the Professor will know how to retrieve it, if he hasn't already".
"Wanna see something funny?", Ron asked without waiting for an answer before making clip-clopping noises with his tongue. Across the room, a figure sat up in bed, looking around frantically. It was Dolores Umbridge.
"I thought she was supposed to leave Hogwart's?", Jadin asked.
"After Hagrid rescued her from the centaurs..."
"Ron! That's not funny!", Jadin reprimanded.
"Huh?", he asked.
"When you get out of here, you might want to Google up centaurs. I don't like her either, but no one deserved that, not even Umbridge".
"You mean they..."
"Yes, they did..."
"Is it true that you took a killing curse to save the Professor?", Neville interrupted.
"It's true", Impmon said.
"How come you're still alive? The only one who is known to have survived the Killing Curse is Harry, and the reason he survived was his mother took the curse upon herself, and that act of self sacrifice caused it to turn back onto Youknowwho. That's how he was defeated back then".
"I survived, but Cyberdramon didn't. Though it's very rough, losing that much data so fast. I'm not looking forward to doing that any time soon, I can assure you".
"Will you be able to digivolve?"
"After I regenerate".
Harry arrived to see how his fellow adventurers were getting on.
"How're you holding up?", Jadin asked.
"I dunnow", he replied. "Sometimes I expect to see Sirius in the fireplace, that it was all just a horrible dream, that it never happened. I just got to know him, and now he's gone... he's really gone..."
"I... really don't know what to say", Jadin replied. "I'm sorry just doesn't seem... enough".
Jadin had never lost anyone close to him and had no idea what that was like.
Harry was in and out, saying he was on his way to see Hagrid. That was the problem: alone Harry felt he wanted company. With company, he wanted to be alone.
"C'mon, I'll go with you, need to let the others get some rest", Jadin offered.
As he was leaving with Jadin and Impmon, Draco Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle passed by: "You're dead!", Draco hissed at them, "All three of you". It was obvious they'd received their notice of expulsion. "You didn't think you'd get away with it, getting us expelled, Father sent to Azkaban..."
"Funny, I don't feel dead", Jadin retorted. "As for you getting expelled, you should have thought of that sooner. As for your old man, he should have chosen the company he keeps more wisely".
"If Lord Voldemort couldn't take us out, we needn't concern ourselves with the likes of you", Impmon added.
"You can't put my father in Azkaban and get us expelled..."
"Draco, you did it to yourself when you thought you could bully the rest of the students while Umbridge gave you cover. Your old man put himself in Azkaban", Harry agreed. "Just be glad your father didn't wind up like MacNair and Dolohov".
"He won't be in there for long. He has powerful friends, and besides, the Dementors have left. Who's gonna keep him in?"
"At least now everyone knows what a PoS your father is...", Harry challenged. Draco went for his wand, but Harry was better prepared and faster on the draw. Impmon flicked up a fireball and was preparing to throw it at Malfoy.
"What is going on here, Pot-ter?", Professor Snape said as he was coming up the stairs leading to the dungeons.
"Just trying to decide what curse to use on Malfoy", Harry replied.
Snape's eyes went up at this unexpected moment of candor: "Put it away", he told Harry.
"As for you, haven't you caused enough trouble?", he turned and asked Draco. "No sense in making it worse", he advised. Under Snape's gaze, the group broke up. They waited until Draco and his pals were well on their way.
"I'm expected in the Professor's office; he wants a de-briefing", Jadin explained as he headed back towards the castle, as Harry set off in the direction of Hagrid's cabin.
Dumbledore's Office
"Sorry for keeping you waiting", Jadin greeted as he pushed open the doors. "I wanted to see how Hermione and the others were doing".
"Quite understandable", Dumbledore replied. "What happened back there?"
"How do you mean? You were right there with us".
"I mean between the time you and Impmon left the Death Chamber, and my arrival in the lobby".
"Oh, well, Cyberdramon got there first, and prevented Whatshisname from attacking Harry, who didn't look quite prepared for his arrival".
"Yeah", Impmon agreed, "I hit him point blank with an Erase Claw..."
"I arrived at that time, and used this", Jadin held out the card.
"And this is...?", Dumbledore started to ask.
"It's called a 'device card'. It's kinda like a wild card, so it's something to be used carefully, as its misuse can lead to unfortunate and unforeseen consequences. Given the reputation, I figured Cyberdramon could use the extra help".
"That's what I don't understand", Impmon said, "I hit that fucker point blank, not once but twice, and he wasn't deleted. That last attack should've taken out a couple of mega-level digimon".
"You see, Voldemort has prepared himself this time for his return. Sixteen years ago, I met a prospective candidate whom I thought would make an excellent addition to our faculty as an instructor in Divination. She insisted on meeting at the Hogshead in Hogsmeade. I had doubts about the wisdom of meeting there, as the Hogshead has a nasty reputation, and their clientèle is nasty. But she insisted, so we met on the upper level.
"It soon became obvious that this individual wasn't a suitable candidate, despite being the descendant of some excellent and famous Seers, she hadn't really inherited their abilities. Or so I thought. As I was excusing myself, this prospect suddenly spoke in a totally different and unfamiliar voice. She said that the only one who could defeat the Dark Lord would arrive at the tail end of that July. After that, her voice returned to normal, and she had no awareness of what had just happened. Needless to say, I changed my mind and hired her. You know who I'm talking about?"
"Professor Trelawney?", Jadin offered.
"Quite. It was her prophecy that was recorded in the glass sphere Harry recovered from the Department of Mysteries last night. When July arrived, two boys were born to wizarding families on the 30th: Neville Longbottom, and..."
"Harry Potter", Impmon added.
"Harry Potter. One of the two would be the one to defeat Voldemort once and for all. As I said, the Hogshead is full of shady characters, and one of them reported straight off what he'd overheard to Voldemort. However, he didn't over hear the whole story. The rest of the story is that the Dark Lord would mark his opponent. Of course, after birth, neither Harry nor Neville bore any such mark, so it could have been either one. This is the reason Neville's parents were attacked so savagely during Voldemort's first reign of terror that they have never recovered. No, Voldemort would mark Harry himself, but later..."
"That funky scar on his forehead", Impmon more stated than asked.
"Precisely. So Voldemort has just half the prophecy, which explains why he was so desperate to get his hands on the rest of it - and why it was so important that he not do so. This is the reason your attacks didn't work: Harry is the only one who can destroy Voldemort, and there was nothing you could have done differently to change that. That, and the fact that he has made himself immortal".
"How did he manage that?", Jadin asked, incredulous. That Voldemort had survived two Erase Claws was undeniable, as he'd seen it himself.
"There is a type of magic, the darkest of dark magic, which guarantees immortality. So long as a soul, or a piece of a soul, is kept safe within what's called a 'horcrux', then he can not really die, as that piece of soul is anchored in this world. Even if the physical body is destroyed, it can be recreated. I know that even as Tom Riddle, he was very interested in this subject. Unfortunately, he learned how to do this, and has made more than one horcrux".
"OK, so why's this so bad?"
"To make a horcrux, you first need to divide your soul. The only way to do that is to commit an impardonable offense, and that means a cold-blooded murder. Voldemort has committed quite a few of these just for the purpose of preparing his horcruxes. I can't emphasize enough how evil this is.
"Now, we have another problem: Voldemort knows about Cyberdramon. He will be interested in learning more about the strange creature who attacked him with such power, and who took a Killing Curse and survived. So far as we know, there are just two individuals who ever survived: Harry Potter and Cyberdramon/Impmon...
On a happier note, I'm sending Minerva to personally invite your family to come to attend our Commencement Feast".
"Seriously?", Jadin asked.
"Oh yes, you and Impmon are fully part of the 'family' (making finger quotes) now. I intend to set the record straight about that in my Commencement speech. It is the least I could do, considering that we - the magical community - have put you in even greater danger than you were before".
Hagrid's Cabin
"Aye, Harry, yer luk terr'bul", Hagrid greeted as he opened the door. "I have jus' ter t'ing: a cup o' hot herbal tea. Have some?", he offered.
"Yes, please", Harry replied without enthusiasm. He was wondering if coming was the right thing to do. He sat at Hagrid's table as Hagrid prepared two big cups of the herbal tea. He pushed one to Harry as he sat down.
Hagrid broke the uneasy silence: "Dumbledore tole meh boud Sirius, an I knew how much he meant ter yeh... meh condolences fer yer loss", he said softly.
"Thanks", Harry replied without looking up from the brownish liquid.
"He died fightin' ter Dark Lord: he would'a wanned ter go oud lak thah".
"I think he'd've preferred not going out at all!", Harry snapped back.
"Aye...", Hagrid started as Harry stood.
"Goin' so soon?"
"I was on my way to Madam Pomfrey's infirmary to see how the Ron, Ginny and the others are doing", he lied.
Harry headed to Gryffindor Tower instead. He pulled out his trunk with the intention of throwing everything in and leaving Hogwart's. He wasn't planning on waiting for commencement, and wasn't looking forward to the year end feast either. He could catch a Knight Bus to London. He discovered the small pocket mirror, still brown with grime. He wiped it somewhat cleaner.
That last evening he'd spent at Grimmauld Place, before leaving for the start of the school year, Sirius had given him this. It wasn't just an ordinary mirror, but also a two-way, audio-visual communicator. Sirius had its companion, and had told him to use it if he needed to get in contact. He slowly sat down on the edge of his bed, his reflection starring back at him. How could he be so stupid as to have forgotten he had it? If only he'd used the mirror/communicator instead of risking a break-in to Umbridge's office to use the Floo Network, then Kreacher couldn't lie to him that Sirius had gone to the Department of Mysteries. And he wouldn't have gotten caught red-handed by Umbridge, wouldn't have needed to come up with that cock-and-bull story about hiding a super weapon in the Forbidden Forest, wouldn't have walked straight into Voldemort's trap. And Sirius would still be alive right now.
"Sirius, are you there?", he asked the mirror. "Sirius, come in: just once, that's all. I'd like to talk just one more time, please?"
Harry's reflection continued looking up at him. Of course it wasn't working: Sirius didn't have his mirror with him when he went through the Gate of Destiny. In frustration, Harry threw the mirror across the room as it shattered as it hit the wall. Harry lay down, forgetting about packing to leave.
Gryffindor Common Room
"Hey, Hermione", Jadin greeted.
"Madam Pomfrey's given me a clean bill of health, just in time for tomorrow's feast. How about you, Impmon?"
"Fully regenerated and ready to digivolve".
"Good to hear it".
Harry came down from the boys' dorms, his trunk magically following behind, empty bird cage in his hand.
"What's up with that?", Ron asked.
"Yeah?", Neville asked.
"Harry?", Hermione chimed in.
"I'm going to collect Hedwig from the owlry and catch the Knight Bus. I'm not feeling very festive..."
"Like hell you are!", Jadin reprimanded. "You're going to take that stuff back to your dorm and stow it. I'm getting sick and tired of your moping around; you've been acting like a real asshole all year..."
"What would you know?! Try minding your own goddamn business!"
Jadin was off the sofa, and coming at Harry so fast that he didn't have time to pull out his wand before Jadin snatched it from his hand, flinging it across the room. Jadin had him by the lapels of his robe, shoving him roughly against the wall.
"No one else apparently has the balls to tell you what you need to hear, so I'm gonna do it myself. You're gonna keep your god-damn mouth shut and open your ears. You have friends here who literally put their lives on the line for you, and this is how you repay them? God knows why they still bother..."
"What would you know? You lose anyone? You haven't..."
"Didn't I tell, you to shut up? Your never ending whinging is wearing mighty thin. Yeah, you have it soooooo hard don't you? You're such a special little snowflake, aren't you? Potter: there are thousands of kids out there who lost parents, godparents, friends and relatives and they don't have an aunt and uncle to take them in. They don't have a Hogwart's to come to; they don't have a Professor Dumbledore. From where I stand, you already hit life's lottery. How many wizarding families are there in the UK? I bet it isn't over 5,000.
What do you do?". Jadin turned over Harry's right hand, still bearing the scars from Umbridge's punishment quill. "You do stupid shit like this: pick a fight with Umbridge you knew you couldn't win. Not once, but twice you're slicing your hand open. Do you go to Professor McGonagall about this? Do you mention it to Dumbledore..."
"I didn't want to bother them with my problems..."
"I've seen First Years - little kids - with those same marks on their hands. Did you ever think of them? Did you think of your team mates when you got yourself kicked off the Quidditch team and lost the Quidditch Cup to those Slytherans? Do you give a shit about anyone besides yourself?
"Do you think I enjoy..."
"Yes, Potter: I think you enjoyed the hell out of it. You have a martyr complex: it's all about you, you, you, and to hell with anyone else. You didn't bother working on learning Occlumancy did you? Thought you could do everything all by yourself, and you never wanted to shut out those visions, did you? That's what got Sirius killed, and that's what's putting me and Impmon in jeopardy. It never occurred to you that Whatshisname just might tap into that psychic connection and find out all about digimon. It never occurred to you that Whatshisname might use your own memories against you, did it?
"If that prophecy is accurate, and you are the last, best hope for the Wizarding World, then, Minister Fudge and Professor Dumbledore should sit down with Whatshisname to negotiate the best possible terms of surrender. You don't stand a chance: you're pathetic. And the worst part is you don't even see it..."
"I handled him before..."
"No, Potter, you just got f'kin lucky. That's one thing Professor Snape got right: if it hadn't been for Hermione, Ron, and the rest of your friends, you'd've been history, and everyone but you knows it.
"You're also lazy. When he was your age, Whatshisname was already working on his plan for immortality; Professor Dumbledore was well on his way to earning his first Order of Merlin. What have you done? What are you doing to ready yourself for the show-down that everyone's telling me is inevitable?
"No, Potter, you are not going to run away this time. You are going to take your shit back upstairs, you won't ruin Commencement for your friends, and afterwards, you are going to see Professor Snape and apologize or kiss ass, or whatever it takes, and - this time - you will take his Occlumancy lessons seriously.
"The pity party ends right here, right now".